The present invention is directed to a method of and apparatus for the adjustment and attachment of operational surfaces on a track for electromagnetically levitated vehicles. The track is a beam-like support member formed of steel, reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete. The support member has a deck slab mounted on a box-like girder member, with parts of the deck slab cantilevered outwardly on both sides of the girder member. The operational surfaces include stators located on the underside of the cantilevered parts, and slide guide rails extending on and secured to the outer sides of the cantilevered parts.
A known track for a high speed railroad using electromagnetically levitated vehicles includes track supports in the form of single span beams constructed from prestressed concrete and located on elevated piers. Operational elements for the electromagnetic levitation technology are located on the track supports and the elements provide the operational surfaces required for the support, guidance, drive, and braking, as well as for data transmission from the control center and current supply to the vehicle. Note the German magazine "BAUINGENIEUR" (Civil Engineer) 1983, pages 129 to 134. In this known track, the track support has a closed, approximately trapezoidally-shaped cross-section with an upper deck plate cantilevered outwardly on both sides from support webs of the closed cross-section. Operational elements for the levitating vehicles are located in the region of the cantilevered parts, that is, support stators from electroplates and cable windings fixed between the cantilevered parts, rails for side guidance of the vehicles and for the transmission of braking forces fixed on the outer sides of the cantilevered parts, as well as slide surfaces located along the upper surface of the deck slab of the support members, with the side surfaces supporting the vehicles when they come to rest during stoppage and during possible malfunction of the electromagnetic system.
These operational elements have operational surfaces which must be positioned with great accuracy in view of the high speeds of the levitating vehicles. Accordingly, where track supports of reinforced prestressed concrete are used, the tolerances usually present in concrete construction must be compensated. An apparatus is known for avoiding the individual installation and adjustment of operational elements which is very time and work consuming, and in which the elements can be installed and adjusted in one working operation. Note DE-OS 31 39 636. The essential feature of the apparatus involves different machining or processing devices located on a single machine frame so that the machine frame can travel on the track supports and can be fixed to the track supports for performing individual machining steps with the machining devices being adjustable with reference to external check or datum points by means of surveying technology equipment for providing accurate positioning of the operating elements. Because of the tolerances in concrete track supports which cannot be avoided in construction operations and due to the tolerances in surveying operations which cannot be completely eliminated, even when the greatest care is exercised, this known apparatus has deficiencies or disadvantages.
A method of the type mentioned above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. application No. 194,383, note above, where the side guide rails are located in the required spacing for installation and are held in a fixed manner in this mutual position relative to one another, after the support stators have been located and secured in place. Subsequently, the guide rails are positioned with respect to the support member and are then adjusted vertically using the lower surface of the stator as a datum plane. Further, the guide rails are adjusted in the direction transverse to the support member with the abutment of one of the two side guide rails at accurately determined points along the sides of the track support member, followed by the final attachment of the guide rails to the support member. An apparatus for carrying out this method is disclosed in the above application and also in the divisional application, mentioned above. The apparatus includes a number of assembly or installation truss frames arranged parallel to one another and preferably equally spaced apart along the long direction of the support member. The truss frames include assembly arms mounted on each side of the frame and pivotally displaceable toward the support member into a region below the stators. Each assembly arm includes a device for holding a side guide rail and an abutment for contacting the lower surface of the stators. In addition, a transport frame, extending in the long direction of the support member or track, is located along the track and has a length corresponding at least to that of a support member. The installation truss frames are supported on the transport frame so that they can be displaced transversely of the long direction of the track and adjusted in height with respect to the support member.
To position and secure two guide rails along the opposite outer sides of a support member, initially the guide rails are held in the assembly arms pivoted outwardly from the support member. Next, the assembly arms are pivoted inwardly into a spaced position and adjusted with respect to the lower side of the stators by raising the arms in the vertical direction. Following this positioning of the guide arms, a horizontal movement is performed so that one of the side guide rails contacts previously positioned spacer elements at one outer edge of the track support member and this operation is accomplished with support of the truss frame on the surface of the support member. Since the initial position of the side guide rails relative to one another is not altered, the side guide rails at the opposite outer edge of the support member is adjusted at the same time. With the requisite adjustments completed, the side guide rails are secured to the support member.